Antifreeze or coolant which is utilized in automotive vehicles requires periodic flushing and refilling with fresh coolant to prevent overheating of vital engine parts. An automotive engine may conceptually be divided into two parts, typically with the engine and heater core on one lateral side, and the radiator and overflow bottle on the other. Substantially complete removal of antifreeze coolant would thus necessitate flushing all four of the above components.
Typically, automotive coolant removal is done annually or more or less often by vehicle owners or automotive professionals. In most instances, completely draining the cooling system of spent antifreeze can be a time-consuming and elusive undertaking. Moreover, the flushed antifreeze may be considered a hazardous substance by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and therefore must be disposed of with care. It is thus in the consumer's and the environment's best interest to create as little of the waste coolant product as possible.
Many methods have been devised to facilitate the removal of antifreeze from the cooling system. One way is to simply allow the coolant to drain from the bottom of the radiator. This is referred to as gravity draining, and by itself can be a rather tedious and inefficient process. If the radiator and overflow bottle components are vertically higher than the engine and heater core elements, then coolant from the latter two can not be effectively removed.
Another way to flush antifreeze from the engine is to remove the cap on the top of the radiator and apply water through the system using a garden hose or the like. This method can often facilitate the coolant removal, but unfortunately what starts out as one concentrated gallon of potential environmental contaminants is multiplied into twenty dilute gallons. This process can also be very messy.
By using a standard flush "T" device it is also possible to remove the coolant from the system via the heater hose line connecting the heater core and the engine. One or more clamps in the line are loosened and the "T" is then inserted therein. The "T" has a cap covering a male connection. The cap can be removed and the female end of a water hose is then connected to the "T". Water from an outside source moves through the "T" and flushes antifreeze from the engine components. While this mechanism can help to remove coolant from the engine and heater core components, it is not fully efficient and also has the environmental drawbacks associated with utilizing water for flushing.
Those skilled in the art have devised other methods and apparatus to address the coolant removal problem from automotive vehicles.
Kilayko, U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,017, relates to a flushing connection which attaches to the radiator for use with a pressurized water source. This device may not allow complete removal of spent antifreeze if the radiator is higher than the engine. The method of the '017 patent may also produce many gallons of toxic chemical waste.
Vataru et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,769, involves a method to remove coolant from an engine using gas pressure, treatment of the coolant external to the engine and reintroduction of the coolant to the engine under pressure of gas. Unfortunately, this process involves pressurizing at the low point of the system, and therefore involves working against gravity. Moreover, there is also the requirement that a tube or straw be inserted in the radiator for forcing coolant throughout the system.
In Creeron, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,458, a flush/fill apparatus is described which utilizes a modified radiator cap and a pumping device. An elongated tube as part of the radiator cap extends well into the radiator, and the pumping device removes spent coolant via the tube. New liquid may be introduced into the radiator also through the elongated tubular member. This device may not work well with pressurized overflow bottles since such systems typically do not have radiator openings or overflow bottles large enough to accommodate the device.
There presently exists a need in the art for a more efficient and versatile method of removing antifreeze from automotive systems. The method must be environmentally friendly, as well as adaptable to a wide range of automotive cooling systems. Also needed are devices which facilitate the above processes, which are both simple in design and easy to operate. As with any draining procedure, it should work on hot and cold engines, and preferably without cutting any hoses, especially the heater hose.
Once spent coolant is removed from the engine cooling system, a method to refill the system quickly and efficiently is also needed. The cooling system must be efficiently filled to reduce or eliminate air pockets. Air pockets can impair cabin heat flow, damage water pump seals and in the worst case, cause engine damage by overheating. The approach must be generally applicable to all vehicles, especially modern vehicles with pressurized overflow bottles. Refill attachments should also avoid complex mechanical connections.